Thursday, January 30, 2014

I wanted to update you on the still existing winter fun places. I bought
some lovely winter skating and skiing and walking outfits so want to use them
before packing away in a box . I took a quick tour and some of those I wrote
about have already started to melt, like Calas sims which will be closed for
February. but still has skating and skiing until the end of the
month. Horseback riding there is always great fun. I went over to Palma to
check and took the tram tour and tho winter decor is there. Valentines Day is the
theme at the moment. and it is absolutely beautiful. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Palma/218/223/32. I get the idea this is a place where friends love to just hang out and
chat.

Aero Pines is still covered with snow and ice and the festival
ends January 31 so take a look. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Equus/52/197/22
. But, I see the Football stadium (American Football Superbowl Feb
2. ) is in place for the big game Sunday and there will be a big party
going on.There are some cute outfits and players uniforms available for purchase
nearby. Cindy Bolero also sent out a message to say that the lovely Mer village
has moved to a new location . Pick up a brochure at the Park to see all the fun
activities open to you there.

There was one spectacular region from years
past that I did not find. It was one of the first winter activity
place I ever visited in sl at least 6 years ago and I was so sorry to find it
missing. The sims on Wolf Mountain Resort had so much to offer all year round. I
talked to the former owner, Ṧṇö Winterẘölḟ (peach.fizz). She told me
sorrowfully it is gone for now but hopes someday to resurrect it . I hope so too
and wish her well. Have a terrific sl winter before it is gone. I think
winter started a bit early in some venues and ended at the New Year.
Well, I can visit the Aussie winter places in the summer but then I will
have to unpack my boxes... too much trouble!

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Last month around Christmastime, I came across a resident named Artemis (artemisgreece). It turned out she was the owner of a Greek island sim in Second Life: Myconos. Artemis, whom is Greek herself, invited me to take a look at the place, so I went over.

Myconos, located at the Hellenic Island sim, is based on the real life island of Mykonos, which is a little more than thirty square miles and is in the South Aegean Sea between mainland Greece and Turkey. Second Life's Myconos is smaller, but has much of its Greek charm.

The entrance point takes one next to it's travel agency. At the time,
there was a Christmas tree there, but it was removed after the holidays.
Artemis showed me around, the two of us going down the town streets.
Among one of the first places she showed me was one of the Eastern Orthodox churches, based on a real one on the real life island. "See how peculiar it is?" Artemis asked me, "no corners, no wood. Just plaster." The inside had a number of Christian images.

Our next stop was at a tavern near the ocean. Approaching it, we were greeted, "Welcome to KoutoukiTaverna." The building itself was used to store wine cask with most of the seating outside, reflecting that on the real life island, it doesn't rain much. There were a number of tables set up, each with some food and wine. There was a little space between them for dancing, and a small band area where people could play some instruments, a guitar, an electronic organ, and something native-looking in the middle chair. Artemis pointed to the middle one, "Bouzouki, a Greek instrument." She explained they were first made in ancient times.

We continued to go about the town, walking down it's streets. Artemis commented, "narrow streets with bougamvilleas, all white and blue." She stated this was a common sight on Mykonos in real life, "small houses with teraces." We then came across a tiny church, "and orthodox churches all around." This was the smallest in town, probably designed to seat less than a dozen people.

Going further, we came across an arm wrestling table, then another tavern next to a creek with a recreation area with swings, a volleyball court that could keep score, an outdoor bar, and winsurfers and lounge chairs to sun oneself in.There was also a backgammon game on the beach.

Artemis and I soon parted, but I went back later. Going about this second time, I noticed other details that added to the atmosphere of the place. There were shops, such as the ice cream place with cookies and cakes as well. There was an occasional "artificial avatar" about to keep the place from looking empty. There were also local stalls where fruits and veggies as well as meat still on the hook and a bit bloody were on display. Across the island, the radio streams play a mix of rock and Greek music. One can be hearing a man singing in Greek one moment, and a few steps to the left be listening to "Green Day."

Monday, January 6, 2014

I started the new year with a trip to two connected sims,
Belegaer and the Island of Armenelos.Both are part of the award-winning Calas Galadhon Park.Belegaer, located at BELEGAER, BELEGAER
(32, 75, 21), is an open water retreat that has a number of hidden surprises within
its borders.While exploring there, I
saw a nearby villa.It was so beautiful
that I knew I had to visit it, too.The villa is located at The Island of Armenelos, ARMENELOS (146, 106,
21).

I found these two
jewels of SL when I visited the main sim, Calas Galadhon Park in December.Created
in January, 2010, by SL residents Tymus Tenk and Truck Meredith,
Calas is an 11 region estate.My
friend and fellow reporter Gemma Cleanslate reported about this magical place
in “A Wintery
Favorite:Calas Galadhon Park”, published
December 13, 2013. During my visit
there I saw posters for Belegaer and the Island of Armenelos.Unlike the active and busy winter sims,
Belegaer and the Island of Armenelos are warm weather sites with an emphasis on
quiet beauty.

At the landing
point for Belegaer I found the “Blackspot”, an ancient sailing ship that may be
haunted, and a small kayak that is available for anyone to use.The “Blackspot”, like many places on
Belegaer, has dance balls ready for couples to use.But I didn’t want to spend any time
exploring the ship. I was eager to try out the kayak and see the
other sights.

The kayak was a
perfect fit, and I was soon out in the open water.The
ambiance is wonderful here.Sea gulls
and pelicans call out as they fly by.The sound of crashing waves alerts you to the danger of getting too
close to the rocks.I’m sure I heard a pair of humpback whales,
too.

Although
kayaking on the water was serene, the outcropping of rocks near land was more
inviting to me.Ignoring the danger, I headed toward them.At one point I was hung up on a reef, but I
quickly floated free.I guided the
kayak through an arch and was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful garden
near the shore.

I left the kayak
and waded ashore.At first all I saw was
the garden, but I kept exploring. On
the other side I found many hidden treats, like benches for relaxing and great
places to snap pictures.Bird watching
is great here, too.

Tucked away on
the far side of the garden is a private pool that would be perfect for couples.
Nearby I found a picnic blanket with a
basket of goodies and a nice vintage wine.Dance balls are located in many spots, often concealed in statutes of
birds or sea lions.Although the area
seemed small at first, the path winds up and around in a way that makes it feel
bigger.

When it started
to get dark I stopped exploring and tried to find my way back to the
kayak.By the time I found my landing
spot, the kayak was gone.While I was scrambling over the rocks, I
slipped and fell into the water.What a
happy accident that turned out to be!Under the water is another beautiful park. I swam with some fish and looked around a bit.Because it was now very dark, I opted to
teleport out and come back another time to visit the villa.

When I returned to explore the Island of
Armenelos, I teleported in at The Island of Armenelos, ARMENELOS (146, 106,
21).At the landing point I was greeted
by Shelly the sea lion, who was looking for a treat.After I fed her, I walked up the stone
steps toward the villa.

At the first
landing I came to a dance area near a colorful fountain.The opulence and beauty of this sim is
evident immediately.As I continued up
the long set of steps, I found a number of decorative mosaic tiles on the
landings.There are scenes of dolphins,
turtles, a swordfish, and other marine life.

At the top of
the steps are apartments that are open for exploring. There are no rentals here.Visitors are free to walk inside the villas
without worrying about invading anyone’s privacy. There are many apartments connected by narrow
passages and stucco stairs.I had a
great time exploring in and around the many villas.

Outside many of the apartments and on some
larger patios are chairs where visitors can relax in the sunshine. I met resident DowJones Fullstop when I
stopped to have a cup of coffee.Fullstop
often comes to this and other Calas sites.He told me about the skating and other activities that can be found
here.

I was
impressed by the unique and detailed interiors that can be seen inside the
apartments.When I was talking to
Fullstop, he had remarked about how realistic the site looks.I agree with his observation.Tenk
and Meredith have added many unique items that make this site special.For example, in one apartment a small
oscillating fan sits on a table and cools the room.Other villas have pet cats inside while
birds chirp on the ledges outside.

On their website,
Tenk and Meredith state that these sites are their gift back to the residents
of SL.Although they accept donations
to help with the operational costs, the donation boxes are limited and located
only at the entrances to the sims.Tenk and Meredith have created a perfect place
for anyone who wants to enjoy some quiet time on the sea or relax at a seaside
villa.